Out on a Limb
by Dustbunny3
Summary: [One-shot][FloraMirta] Not canon compliant. Mirta oversleeps and misses a date, but Flora has things covered.
A/N: Man, I suck at crossposting... Anyway! I wrote this for Femslash February. I saw a gif set of these two on Tumblr that inspired me to write some fluff for them. Full disclosure, I've only seen up through about half the second season of the 4Kids dub and I don't remember much from that season. So, this is a bit of canon divergence written as though there was only one season of the show (or the dub, whichever). Enjoy!

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Mirta felt someone nudge her shoulder and promptly shrugged them off, turning onto her side to chase sleep before it could get too far away. She was aware of whoever it was behind her hesitating, then they carefully nudged her shoulder again. Her attempt to complain came out as a whine instead as she curled into herself, trying to hide from the wakefulness she could feel creeping up on her.

There was a longer pause, long enough that she almost believed she could fall asleep again, then that touch was back, so gentle. It wasn't exactly a nudge anymore, though, more a casual contact, sort of questioning. It made the conscious part of her ask questions in turn, especially when whoever it was laid a hand on her that was not a hand, more like a tendril.

It wasn't a someone behind her, she realized distantly. It was a something.

For ten seconds, she lay still mostly asleep, the realization meaning nothing to her. On the eleventh second, she was out of bed and on her feet, heart pounding and mind racing to catch up with her body. For a moment, she was back in her Cloud Tower dorm and someone had set a monster on her either for fun or as part of a homework assignment. In the next moment, she was in Alfea and someone who resented her for what she used to be had cast a charm on her bed sheets.

She blinked, shook her head, almost lost her balance. She blinked again and she was in her room at Alfea, staring at a vine of colorful flowers. It hovered there beside her bed, twisting around itself in a way that looked vaguely sheepish. Following its length, Mirta saw that it was part of a mass of vines, all peeking through her window.

Outside, the blue of the summer sky was fading and shot through with pinks and purples. It was this indication of the time that put the pieces in place for Mirta, who gasped and darted to her window. The vines parted for her without hesitation, letting her look out and down.

Her eyes went to the ground first, curiosity drawing her attention to where the vines grew so smoothly from the lawn that she had to double-check her memory to be sure they weren't supposed to be there. From there, her attention wandered back up, catching about ten feet below her window where Flora was settled on a giant leaf, making an arrangement of the smallest blossoms of her creation. She was doing it without looking, face turned up towards Mirta.

Smile shining in her eyes, Flora asked, "Did you forget about me?"

"No!" Mirta insisted; even though she could tell Flora was joking, guilt painted red across her cheeks. "I'm so sorry, Flora, I was studying and then I thought I'd just grab a quick nap before coming to meet you–"

"Mirta," Flora interrupted gently, suddenly standing right below the window; the stem of the leaf she'd been sitting on had elongated, looking too delicate to be supporting the weight it did and yet it didn't waver. Flora reached up and Mirta was quick to grab at her hands; Flora smiled and was just as quick to twine their fingers together. "I'm not upset with you. I was worried when you didn't show up, but I'm glad to know you're okay."

"I'm sorry for worrying you," Mirta murmured against Flora's knuckles, nuzzling against their joined hands. "And I'm sorry for not showing up. I was looking forward to it, honest."

"I always look forward to spending time with you, Mirta," Flora said.

The truth of her words was writ plain on her face, and Mirta read it over and over, absorbing it, still in awe at how different Alfea was from Cloud Tower. Still in awe at how much better she fit in here than she had among the witches.

"If you want– since you're already here–" Mirta bit her tongue and averted her gaze, feeling a fool. The clothes she'd meant to wear on their date were a wrinkled mess from having been slept in and she didn't even want to think about the state of her hair. How could she suggest that they go out now, when it was already getting late and she looked like she did?

"Will you step out here with me?" Flora asked, startling Mirta's attention back onto her. "I know it looks fragile, but my vines can hold both of us easily. We can watch the sunset, if you like."

Mirta looked from Flora to the thin stem of the leaf that held her up. Butterflies fluttered in her belly, but it wasn't due to fear as she'd have expected. It was because Flora was still smiling, that smile among the many in her repertoire that she reserved for Mirta alone. Mirta didn't gulp, didn't take a breath to steady herself, didn't waver as she climbed up up onto her window sill and swung her legs outside. Flora kept hold of her hands, as she slipped out and onto the leaf. There was a bit of give to the surface and she gasped, stumbled against Flora in an instinctive dive for something solid, but the leaf held.

Flora held her, too, hands pulled free of Mirta's only so she could wrap her arms around her. She bushed a kiss over Mirta's cheek and then hummed a delighted note when Mirta turned to catch it with her lips. It lasted only a moment before Flora drew back to rub her nose against Mirta's and then lead them both to sit cradled on the leaf. It curled with her movements, but Mirta found that she wasn't afraid, still held in Flora's embrace. The leaf formed a sort of chair, almost a hammock; Flora leaned back against it and pulled Mirta back against her in turn.

"I still want to take you out on a real date– to make up for the one I missed," Mirta said as she snuggled into the embrace, head resting against Flora's shoulder.

"I'd like that," Flora murmured against her ear. With one hand, she reached over to the little arrangement she'd made still set aside on the leaf beside them; a corsage, Mirta realized when Flora secured it around her wrist. "For now, let's enjoy this one, okay?"


End file.
